MONTREAL – Montreal company etc.tv. along with Molson’s, TVA and Videotron announced today the charter advertisers involved in a commercial TV trial – commercial in every sense of the word. 
Etc.tv is an advertising on demand network, a cross-platform, standardized business model that leverages the broadcast, video on demand (VOD) and digital video recorder (DVR) environments to allow Canadian television viewsers access to long form advertisements (LFAs), on demand.
Molson Canada (whose participation as a charter etc.tv advertiser was announced on March 23rd) will be joined in 10-week trials taking place this fall on the TVA broadcast network and the Vidéotron illico interactive digital television system by Daimler-Chrysler Canada, Ford Motors of Canada, General Motors of Canada, The National Bank of Canada, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever, among others.
etc.tv is a "Telescopic Television Advertising" model, says the company, which leverages the video on demand (VOD) infrastructures of the Canadian digital cable distributors, to allow what it calls “viewsers” (think viewer + users) to link from 30-second commercials directly to long form TV ads, on demand.
With its first-to-market trial, “etc.tv sets a global precedent as the first telescopic advertising on demand application deployed on a major broadcast network utilizing video on demand technology,” says the release.
Viewsers, when presented with the etc.tv icon, will be able to link directly from the 30-second ad to a long form ad associated with the product or service advertised in the 30-second spot using their remote controls. They will also have the option to "bookmark" the long form advertisement to a personal bookmark page, allowing them to watch it later at a time when it is more convenient for them.
"Each of the charter advertisers participating in the Quebec trials demonstrated early and enthusiastic interest in the etc.tv Advertising On Demand model" said Ian MacLean, vice-president and general manager of etc.tv.
"They recognize both the opportunity in gaining early, first-hand knowledge of new consumer behaviours from this emerging on demand television advertising model and the importance of staying ahead of the curve. We look forward to working closely with each of these major national advertisers in shaping this 21st Century TV advertising model."
"With digital television subscription having reached critical mass in Canada, we feel that the market is ready for a digital television application which addresses Canadian TV viewers’ growing desire to manage their consumption of both entertainment and advertising,” added Judy Davey, vice-president, media and CRM, Molson Canada. “etc.tv’s ability to measure that behavior while reducing advertising waste by paying only to connect with qualified, self-selected prospects, responds to important challenges currently facing advertisers."
